Scottish Executive

Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to amend Part 5 of the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

Malcolm Chisholm: A number of proposals have been made by the British Medical Association to facilitate the operation of Part 5 of the act. I intend to consult on these proposals, while recognising the need to ensure that the interests of this vulnerable group of adults are properly safeguarded.

Air Services

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how the extension by Her Majesty’s Government of the consultation on the future development of air transport will affect Scotland.

Lewis Macdonald: The extension of the consultation period on The Future Development of Air Transport in the United Kingdom  will, inevitably, delay the publication of the UK white paper. The Executive is currently discussing the implications for Scotland with the Department for Transport. An interim analysis of consultation responses is being conducted with a view to determining the degree of consensus amongst stakeholders and the possibilities for early action on devolved issues.

Cities

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cities Review will be published.

Ms Margaret Curran: We are today publishing a report of the analysis carried out during the Review of Scotland’s Citie s and a policy statement Building Better Cities  which describes proposals for action to deliver growth and opportunities through the future success of Scotland’s cities. Copies of both documents are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 25869 and 25868 respectively).

Community Safety

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-29399 by Ms Margaret Curran on 1 November 2002, what the legal definition of a citizen is.

Ms Margaret Curran: There is no legal definition of citizen for these purposes. Community wardens will have the same powers as any member of the public.

Drink Driving

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to tackle drink driving over the festive period.

Lewis Macdonald: Scottish police forces ran a co-ordinated Festive Safety Campaign, which we supported through the Scottish Road Safety Campaign publicising the risks of drinking and driving.

Economy

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what use is made of the record of house prices held by Registers of Scotland to inform the provision of data relating to the economy.

Iain Gray: Information on house prices is considered alongside the full range of indicators which the Scottish Executive uses to inform our understanding of Scotland's economic position.

Education

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to encourage shorthand and other forms of speed writing in schools and colleges.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has no plans to encourage shorthand and other forms of speed writing in schools and colleges. However, National Qualifications and Higher National Units include provision for the learning and teaching of shorthand and speed writing.

Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many classroom assistants are currently employed in each local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: Details of the number of classroom assistants currently employed in each local authority area are not held centrally.

First Minister

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32029 by Mr Jack McConnell on 10 December 2002, what each of the functions are relating to the appointment and removal of judges and the Scottish Law Officers for which the First Minister is solely responsible.

Mr Jack McConnell: The functions relating to the appointment and removal of judges and the Scottish Law Officers which are conferred upon the First Minister alone are set out in sections 95 and 48(1) respectively of the Scotland Act 1998.

Fisheries

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of fishermen and what subjects were discussed.

Ross Finnie: I last met representatives of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation on 23 December, to discuss the outcomes from last December’s Council of Ministers. Discussions between the Executive and industry continue.

Fisheries

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support will be made available to the fishing industry in 2003.

Ross Finnie: Assistance will continue to be made available through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) and related Executive funding: and more generally to fishing communities through the enterprise networks and other means. We are also reviewing priorities and available assistance in light of the implications of decisions taken at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in December.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions are planned with the fishing industry regarding the outcome of the December meeting of the EU fisheries council.

Ross Finnie: We have already had discussions with industry representatives regarding the outcome of the Council. Discussions continue about the implications and implementation arrangements.

Flooding

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Executive is taking in respect of potential removal of insurance cover for homes at risk of flooding and whether any representations are being made to representative bodies of the insurance industry in order to highlight any different circumstances in Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: Regular meetings take place with the Association of British Insurers (ABI) to discuss flood risk including, most recently, the on-going provision of insurance cover.

  Scotland’s generally good flood insurance record has been highlighted to the ABI as has, among other things, the increased resources invested by this Executive in the provision of new flood defences.

Health

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with NHS boards about the reorganisation of acute services.

Mr Frank McAveety: Regular discussions about improving services, not only acute ones, are held between the Scottish Executive and NHS boards.

Housing

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Glasgow Housing Association has met the conditions set down for the housing stock transfer.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive has not yet received the final submission from Glasgow City Council to transfer its housing stock to the Glasgow Housing Association.

Industry

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the policy and financial management review of the Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board (SIDAB).

Iain Gray: The Executive is committed to ensuring that each public body is subject to a policy and financial management review at least once every five years. A review of SIDAB will start this month. The terms of reference for the first stage of the review will be:

  To look at the future organisational options for the various functions carried out by SIDAB and to test it against the principles arising from the Public Bodies Review (June 2001).

  As an essential part of the review process, officials will be consulting widely with interested parties.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what legal advice it has received on the European Union Council Framework Decision 2002/584/JHA on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states with regard to its implementation in Scots law and the powers it has with regard to the implementation of the decision.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have been advised that the subject matter of the framework decision is reserved. Its implementation is therefore a matter entirely for the UK Government.

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-32291 on 16 December 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Justice

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has concerning the application of minimum procedural standards throughout the European Union in relation to the European arrest warrant in order to inform its own practice.

Mr Jim Wallace: None. We understand that the European Commission is undertaking a review of procedural safeguards for suspects and defendants in criminal proceedings, that the review is continuing, and that it is the intention of the Commission to issue a green paper on the subject sometime in the new year.

Local Government Finance

Ian Jenkins (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to revise the formula that allocates funding in respect of the McCrone settlement to local authorities.

Mr Andy Kerr: No. Most of the funding for A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century  has been distributed as part of the local government settlement, using the formula agreed with COSLA. Each council’s allocations for the next three years were announced on 4 December. The distribution of the remaining funding to support the agreement will be announced by the Minister for Education and Young People in due course.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct a review of local recruitment policy operated by Argyll and Clyde Acute Hospitals NHS Trust that inhibits the recruitment of appropriately qualified personnel from abroad even when such personnel are sponsored by the Royal Colleges.

Malcolm Chisholm: I know that recruitment and retention of skilled staff is a major issue for NHS Argyll and Clyde, as elsewhere in NHSScotland. The new interim management team, whose appointment I announced on 17 December, will review staff recruitment and retention among other important matters.

Planning

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it is giving to the environmental impact on the area in and around Fauldhouse in West Lothian of the number of opencast coal mining and landfill planning applications in the area.

Des McNulty: Decisions on planning applications are for local councils in the first instance. Intervention by the Scottish ministers generally occurs only where a proposed development raises an issue of national importance, or where proposals represent a significant departure from the approved structure plan for the area and/or national planning guidance. Where the Scottish ministers decide to call in a planning application, all relevant issues are considered, including the environmental impacts of the proposal.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2006 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 November 1999, how many staff have left HM Prison (a) Kilmarnock, (b) Barlinnie, (c) Edinburgh, (d) Perth and (e) Peterhead since April 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond.

  Staff leaving SPS were as follows:

  


Barlinnie 
  

149 
  



Edinburgh 
  

149 
  



Perth 
  

118 
  



Peterhead 
  

82 
  



  I also refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30525 on 28 October 2002, which contains the most recent information held on the numbers of leavers in the SPS to date.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  The SPS does not hold information on staff turnover at Kilmarnock. This is a matter for Kilmarnock Prison Services Limited.

Racism

Kate Maclean (Dundee West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent action it has taken to tackle racism.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Executive launched its Anti Racism Campaign, One Scotland. Many Cultures, in September 2002. The campaign is underpinned by practical action promoting race equality throughout the Executive.

  In November 2002 the Executive published its Race Equality Scheme in which it committed itself to eliminating race discrimination and promoting race equality in all that it does.

Rail Network

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects work to commence on establishing the proposed Larkhall rail link.

Lewis Macdonald: Strathclyde Passenger Transport is the lead authority taking the Larkhall rail link forward.

  I understand that, since the Rail Regulator agreed in principle to a re-benchmarking solution that will remove the issues around performance costs, Strathclyde Passenger Transport and Railtrack have been in discussion over the remaining technical and legal issues. The outcome of these discussions will help inform the timetable for the introduction of this rail link.

Rail Network

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 1 July 1999 ministers have made reported statements or comments in support of the Larkhall rail link and what timescale for the completion of the link was anticipated in such statements.

Lewis Macdonald: Strathclyde Passenger Transport is the lead authority taking this project forward. As the Scottish Executive is the major funder of the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link, Scottish ministers have made numerous reported statements and comments in support of this rail link.

  Key statements made include the joint funding package with Strathclyde Passenger Transport of £23 million (27 August 2001) and, more recently, the agreement in principle by the Rail Regulator to a solution to issues around the performance regime applied to Railtrack (30 September 2002).

  I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-3811 on 13 June 2000, S1W-5863 on 27 April 2000, S1W-14515 on 9 April 2001, S1W-17805 on 24 September 2001, S1W-17856 on 18 September 2001, S1W-19847 on 23 November 2001, S1W-20663 on 28 December 2001, S1W-20800 18 February 2002, S1W-21213 on 28 January 2002, S1W-22010 on 25 February 2002, S1W-22693 on February 2002, S1W-23553 on 15 March 2002, S1W-25032 on 9 May 2002, S1W-26181 on 17 June 2002, S1W-26336 on 17 June 2002 and S1W-29636 on 30 September 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Road Accidents

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what records there are of the number of road traffic accidents at the Tomatin junction on the A9.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive Road Information System contains details of all injury accidents which occur on the Scottish trunk road network.

  Between January 1997 and June 2002, three slight injury accidents have been recorded at the northern Tomatin junction.

  At the southern Tomatin junction, for the same period, no injury accidents have been recorded.

Road Safety

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32002 by Lewis Macdonald on 10 December 2002, when a response to the A737/A738 Route Accident Reduction Plan will be published.

Lewis Macdonald: The recommendations of the A737/A738 Route Accident Reduction Plan have been accepted in full. The works include:

  Provision of a pedestrian crossing on A737 at Kilwinning Academy/Abbey Primary School.

  Red textured bar markings and triangular school children warning signs on A737 carriageway on both approaches to schools.

  Provision of a new bus lay-by on east side of A737, south of Kilwinning Academy.

  Installation of advance stop lines, kerb realignment, skid resistant surfacing, carriageway markings, textile paving and high visibility guard-rail at A737/A738 Dalry Road/Byres Road Junction.

  Provision of a pedestrian crossing on A738 Stevenston Road (exact location to be identified).

  Installation of right turn ghost island markings and centre road hatching on westbound approach to A738 Stevenston Road/Castlehill Road Junction.

  Various amendments/renewals of existing signs on the A737/A738 through Kilwinning.

  It is intended that the works will be implemented by end of March 2003.

Road Signs

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates any changes to the rules governing the signposting of tourist attractions on motorways and trunk roads.

Lewis Macdonald: The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions are being considered by the Department for Transport in consultation with the Scottish Executive, with a view to publishing any revisions in the course of this year.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to resurface the A9 at Aultnaslanach.

Lewis Macdonald: Maintenance works, such as resurfacing, are identified and carried out on a needs basis taking into account safety, operational issues, budgetary restraints and competing priorities across the entire trunk road network. There are no current plans to resurface the A9 at Aultnaslanach.

Scottish Executive Finance

Bristow Muldoon (Livingston) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make any spending proposals without identifying how they will be paid for.

Mr Andy Kerr: No. We have set out detailed plans for the next three years in the Scottish Budget, Building a Better Scotland . Our plans show precisely what our investment programme will deliver and how it will be paid for. Our plans build on the progress that Scotland has made since the Scottish Parliament was established and will help to grow Scotland’s economy and increase opportunities in our communities.

  We recognise our responsibility to this parliament and the people of Scotland, not to make unrealistic promises or announce un-costed proposals. All members of this Parliament should adopt the same financial discipline and honesty in the announcements, pledges and commitments that they make. This is what the people of Scotland want and this is the discipline that this Executive will continue to exercise.

Scottish Executive Staff

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had regarding the dispersal of jobs in its departments and executive agencies to south-west Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Executive maintains regular dialogue with Scottish local authorities and local enterprise companies about the relocation policy.

  On 26 November 2002, my officials met with representatives of Scottish Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway and Dumfries and Galloway Council to brief them on job dispersal opportunities.

  The Executive also wrote to all local authorities and local enterprise companies in December 2002 drawing attention to the new list of bodies about to conduct location reviews and inviting appropriate sites to be identified.

  The Executive has extended its relocation policy by requiring organisations covered by the relocation policy to identify small units of work which could be successfully carried out in more remote areas. We will be writing to all local authorities and local enterprise companies again in the spring with further details.

Sectarianism

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met with representatives of the anti-sectarian charity Nil by Mouth and what matters were discussed.

Cathy Jamieson: Dr Richard Simpson met representatives from Nil by Mouth on 12 August 2002 at a meeting of the cross-party working group on possible legislation to tackle religious hatred. The organisation attended at the working group’s invitation to discuss a range of issues relating to tackling the problem of sectarianism. Nil by Mouth is currently receiving funding from the Education Department to raise awareness amongst young people of sectarianism and bigotry, and contribute to education for citizenship in schools and youth groups.

Student Finance

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in discussions with Her Majesty’s Government on uprating the threshold for payment for student loans and the graduate endowment.

Iain Gray: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range if issues including collection of student loan repayments.

  There is no income threshold for payment of the graduate endowment.

Tourism

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to encourage more tourist attractions to accept payment in the euro, US dollars and other foreign currencies.

Mike Watson: Many hotels in Scotland already accept the euro, while some hotels and restaurants routinely bill their customers in euros as well as in sterling. All of Historic Scotland’s many visitor attractions also accept the euro. Decisions on whether to accept the currency is a commercial decision for owners of individual tourism businesses, but I would encourage all who wish to attract more overseas visitors to consider doing so.

Tourism

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a study into the benefits to tourism of enhanced relationships between Scotland and (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Ireland.

Mike Watson: The Executive is well aware of the importance to Scottish tourism of the Irish market. The number of visits from the Republic of Ireland more than doubled between 2000 and 2001. VisitScotland already works closely with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board on a number of issues of mutual interest, including quality grading and marketing. In addition, VisitScotland recently visited Dublin to hold discussions with Bord Failte and Tourism Ireland (the latter being responsible for the whole of Ireland) to explore opportunities for research collaboration, and joint marketing opportunities to exploit the Celtic brand. These discussions will be followed up during 2003.

Voluntary Sector

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Scottish Executive/Voluntary Sector Forum has met since June 2001 and when the annual review of the Scottish Compact for 2001-02 will be published.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive/Voluntary Sector Forum met in June and October 2001 and in April and December 2002.

  The joint review of the Scottish Compact in 2000-01 recommended that a monitoring framework should be developed based on agreed indicators for the Scottish Executive, its agencies, non-departmental public bodies and the voluntary sector. A joint Compact Review Group was established in May 2002 to advise on the development of such a monitoring and evaluation framework and this group aims to report to the forum early next summer. Further monitoring of the compact will be undertaken in due course once a robust framework is in place.

Young People

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in improving services for young runaways.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive has established a working group containing a range of external experts to look at ways of improving services for children who run away from home and children abused through prostitution.

  The Interim Report of the Working Group issued on 30 December. Copies have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 25819). This contains draft guidance for professionals to help improve services and good practice examples.